One of the most famous Swiss sculptors of the 19th century was born in Basel two hundred years ago, on 25 January 1818: Ferdinand Schlöth (1818–1891). Thanks to a generous gift from a private collector, the first two commissioned works that Schlöth sculpted while in Rome have now been reunited. The life-size marble statue of six-year-old Martin E. A. Burckhardt (1841–1903), which has been in the collection of the HMB for over thirty years, has now been joined by his four-year-old younger brother, Friedrich Albert (1843–1886). Sculpted in Carrara marble, these portrait statues of the sons of the Basel businessman and physician, Martin Burckhardt-His (1823–1903), show how aspirational Basel’s middle classes were becoming at the time.

October 15 th, 2017 marks the bicentenary of the death of Johann Ludwig Burckhardt (1784–1817). The Basel Historical Museum is therefore honouring the famous explorer, who as Sheikh Ibrahim travelled all over the Near East, with an extensively revised and expanded edition of a biography that has long been out of print. It is also staging a small exhibition about him inside the house in which he grew up, the Haus zum Kirschgarten.

The Haus zum Kirschgarten was built as both private residence and business premises for the silk ribbon manufacturer Johann Rudolf Burckhardt between 1775 and 1780. Since it first opened as a museum in 1951, it has traditionally been a museum of domestic life: half of its fifty rooms are devoted to showing how people in 18th- and 19th-century Basel lived.

PERMANENT EXHIBITION

SPECIAL EXHIBITION

PERMANENT EXHIBITION

WILD BOAR AND LETTUCE

They count among the great treasures of the art of porcelain-making: tureens in the shape of animals and deceptively real-looking plates of olives or lettuce made at the Hannong faience manufactory in Strasbourg. A new presentation on the ground floor of the Haus zum Kirschgarten will turn the spotlight on these exquisite wares and view them in the context of the dining culture of that era. The scope of the new presentation in the former kitchen and housekeeping rooms will be broadened to include Basel-style 18th-century cuisine.

YOUR VISIT

ADMISSION FEE

Adults CHF 10.–Reduced rate CHF 5.–*Combined ticket offer, access to all three museums CHF 20.– / CHF 10.–*Group rate, 10 people and more CHF 5.–*Applies to people under 20 and/or up to 30 if in education or training

FREE ENTRY

Children under the age of 13

Members of the Verein für das Historische Museum Basel

Members of ICOM/VMS

Holders of the Museums-PASS-Musées, Swiss Museum Pass or Colourkey

GUIDED TOURS

All guided tours cost CHF 5.– as well as the admission to the museum.

OPENING HOURS

Wednesday till Sunday 11 am–5 pm

HOLIDAYS

Based on to the above mentioned opening hours, the museum additionally has opened as following:

New Year's Eve

31 December 2018

Monday

open

Fasnachts Wednesday

13 March 2019

Wednesday

closed

Easter Monday

22 April 2019

Monday

open

Labour Day

1 May 2019

Wednesday

closed

Internal event

21 June 2019

Friday

closed

Christmas Day

25 December 2019

Wednesday

closed

New Year's Eve

31 December 2019

Tuesday

open

New Year's Day

1 January 2020

Wednesday

closed

HAPPY DAY & HAPPY HOUR

Happy Day: Free entrance on the first Sunday of the month (except special exhibition)